Maya Riley

Untitled

Mixed media on paper

Untitled Detail

Mixed media on paper

Process

In my art process most of the time, I usually don’t have a planned-out idea. Typically, I get lost in the process of physical mark-making. I’m interested in texture whether in a drawing painting or a 3D sculpture. Sometimes I try to convey a descriptive word through the arrangement of my composition. However, in my drawing called “Untitled”, I use the repetition of organic lines, shaped blobs, and bright colors to get the illusion of getting lost in the process of making art. In the end, this drawing reminds me of topographical maps.

Plant 1

Oil on Canvas

Plant 2

Oil on canvas

Flowers 1

Oil on canvas

Flowers 2

Oil on canvas

Still Life

Oil on canvas

Progress

In my art progress, my quick brush strokes relate and layer on the other to make the image. Each stroke also shows my reaction to trying to capture what I’m observing in front of me. When painting outside I tend to paint much faster then when painting inside. For example, when painting “ Flowers 1,” the brush strokes show the flower petals. This took less time compared to my other painting “Flowers 2” which I painted in the studio and I focused more on creating different textures and exaggerating the many brush strokes. This took more time to finish. I gravitate towards abstract paintings as well as painters when it comes to painting on my own. Especially painters like Heather Day ( alumni of the Visual Arts Department).